BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and staff will find out more about their football team this week than at any time in their 2-0 start to this 2025 season. This game at East Carolina University is a watershed event for this team, as it will set the bar.
The challenge is big. There’s the long road trip, two time zones to the east, a game played before a packed stadium of more than 50,000 fans, a fledgling freshman quarterback in his first hostile atmosphere, and a fired-up home team.
This is why Sitake is using that extra Power Four money to go a day early and get acclimated to the humidity and surroundings. He’ll also take a top-rated defense that will be tested by an experienced and accurate opposing quarterback.
On the other side of the sideline, ECU will throw at the Cougars a top-rated defense that hopes to intimidate rookie QB Bear Bachmeier. ECU ranks first in turnover margin, seventh in rushing defense, 11th in passing yards per game, 11th in scoring defense, and is 14th in third-down conversion percentage, while fielding a defense that is 30th in pass efficiency defense.
BYU has its own high statistical rankings. Among them are a top defense in rushing and scoring defense; however, those numbers were achieved against lowly FCS Portland State and a struggling Stanford team, which did surprise with a win over Boston College in its ACC opener.
Cougar Insider predictions
Question of the week: Aside from a long road trip two time zones away, East Carolina poses challenges for BYU. What do you see as the biggest hurdles in this game and how will it work out?
Jay Drew: BYU’s biggest challenge in this Saturday’s game at East Carolina happens to be the most important position on the field: quarterback. East Carolina has a big advantage at QB.
The Cougars are taking a true freshman, Bear Bachmeier, into hostile territory for the first time in the 19-year-old’s career. Bear will face crowd noise unlike anything he has ever seen, or heard, in his life.
There are going to be difficult moments several times in the game for the young man. Poise under pressure is a must. The problem is, Bear has no experience with what he will encounter Saturday night at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. No one really knows how he will respond.
On the other side of the ball, East Carolina will counter with one of the most experienced QBs in college football, Katin Houser. In the quarterbacking department, this one is a mismatch — no matter how talented Bear is, or will become. BYU’s defense, which leads the nation in almost every significant defensive category, will be tested mightily by Houser. I am expecting a one-score game.
Prediction: BYU 27, ECU 24
Dick Harmon: You’ll know early how this game will go. If BYU can run the ball effectively against ECU, then the Cougars will win. If they can’t, they’ll have to ask Bear Bachmeier to put a huge load on his shoulders and I’m not sure if BYU’s offensive line (three sacks allowed against Stanford), has progressed enough to fend off the twists, loops, stunts and disguised coverages created to confuse the young QB.
Babysitting Bear might be over after a 2-0 start, he’ll need to make plays. But if BYU can run the ball behind some physical blocking, his job will be easier. I look for BYU’s defense to give up some plays, but generally be able to stop ECU’s short-passing game. ECU depends on screens and quick passes to avoid pressure and allow receivers to get yards after the catch. BYU will be prepared to disrupt this, and will tackle better than other ECU opponents have done.
In short, this might start off looking like Utah’s game at Wyoming, with the home team pitching its best game of the season early. But if BYU can control the clock and run the ball, ECU will wear down.
Prediction: BYU 28, ECU 17.
Cougar tales
BYU recruits are making news across the country with five-star Ryder Lyons missing his first game due to a high ankle sprain, while Legend Glasker had a pair of TDs. That didn’t keep BYU head coach Kalani Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick from attending his game last weekend. In Orem, a star receiver-linebacker Kaue Akana explained why he chose BYU, and in St. George, tight end commit Brock Harris had a five-touchdown game.
Afton Perry scores her first goal in a Cougar women’s win over Utah Valley.
Kalani Sitake’s name popped up in connection with the vacancy at UCLA but he’s plowing on in preparation for the ECU game.
From the archives
From X-verse
- ECU coach on how he’ll attack Bear (@GregWrubell)
- Weirdness of AP voters (@Cougarstats)
- Brock Harris should be five-star (@TheStandard_Co)
Extra points
- What ECU’s Blake Harrell said about BYU game (247Sports)
- Freshman safety stepping up for Jay Hill (KSLsports)
- Hagen in, Strothers-Bryant out (Provo Daily Herald)
Fanalysts
Comments from Deseret News readers:
Love these type of articles — insights, observations and tidbits. They bring to mind Doug’s exceptional profiles in the past of notables such as Hot Rod Hundley, Craig Garrick, Kurt Bestor and many more. Getting acquainted with the Bachmeier family has been, and will likely continue to be, a fascinating experience. The recent DN article and video about Bear, Tiger and others singing at a local care center was also great stuff.
As interesting as Bear and Tiger are, it is as interesting to watch how Kalani, Arod and staff are managing the initial stages of Bear’s playing time and development. So far everything seems to have been wisely scripted and even more wisely managed. While I was pulling for McCae to get the starting nod, but I can already see that the decision to start Bachmeier will Bear fruit for games and years to come.
— Paul B.
We don’t really know yet if BYU is any good or not. The defense looked good in the first two weeks, but toss the first game out as meaningless. Stanford looks a little better based on their BC game but still, we don’t know.
Utah looked strong against UCLA and then we found out how pathetic UCLA is. Utah looked only half there for the Wyoming game and toss the game out in between as meaningless.
Both schools need a couple of games against actual competition to demonstrate whether this season will be good or bad.
— DH48
Up Next
- Sept. 18 | 7 p.m. | women’s volleyball | @ Utah State
- Sept. 18 | 8 p.m. | women’s soccer | @ ASU
- Sept. 19 | 5 p.m. | swimming | Blue vs White
- Sept. 19 | 7 p.m. | men’s soccer | Utah Valley
- Sept. 20 | 3 p.m. | women’s volleyball | @ Utah Valley
- Sept. 20 | 5:30 p.m. | football | @ East Carolina
- Sept. 22 | TBA | men’s tennis | ITA Championships, Tulsa
- Sept. 22 | 8 a.m. | women’s golf | Ptarmigan Fall Classic